JFA Hall of Fame Inductee

SUZUKI Tamotsu

Special Selection: 21st Japan Football Hall of Fame in 2025

Born in Saitama Prefecture on 29 April 1947

SUZUKI Tamotsu played for Urawa Municipal High School, Rikkyo University, and Nissan Motor (now Yokohama F. Marinos). After retiring, he honed his coaching skills while working under KAMO Shu, who later became Japan's national coach (inducted into the 14th Japan Soccer Hall of Fame in 2017). He has coached the Japan women's national team since 1989. The team qualified for the first FIFA Women's World Championship (later the FIFA Women's World Cup) in 1991 and reached the last eight in the second tournament four years later. He also led the team to the 26th Olympic Games in Atlanta in 1996, the first-time women's football featured as an event. He was instrumental in propelling Japanese women's football to become a powerhouse in Asia, and laid the foundation for Nadeshiko Japan (Japan women’s national team) to win the FIFA Women's World Cup Germany 2011.

After stepping down as national coach, he continued to lead the Nikko Securities Dream Ladies to three consecutive the Japan Women’s Football League. Off the pitch, he also served as a member of the JFA Women's Committee and Secretary General of the Japan Women's Football League, and was involved in the establishment of women's football clubs, contributing greatly to the foundation and promotion of women's football in Japan.

• 
  IHARA Masami
• HANDA Etsuko